[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

[Helenmm]

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

We are eternal creatures, made inthe image of God.Everything we do has an eternal connection and consequence. There are two parts to eternity - Heaven and hell. Through Jesus we are saved from hell into the heavenly precinct. However we can lose that salvation, and one way to do it is to play the games of hell, ie to tryand have a foot in both camps. Father hates lukewarm Christians and will spew them out of His mouth. Neither He nor Jesus were ever luke warm! Everything that we do builds on our eternal destiny. Paul is saying that we are not to play the games of the idolatrous and participate in demonic activities, but to remain pure in the Lord, and to treat communion withthe greatest of respect and holiness.

Corinth was a most idolatrous city. People then were doing what people do today - trying to please everybodyby having a foot in both camps. This is not possible. Jesus came actually to divide families, and taking the communion separates us from the world. We have to be willing to stand for Jesus and not for the world, to be a separate people. This way people can see the difference between us and the natural world.

The danger was that people would eventually slip right back into carnal ways and lose their salvation, that they would re-establish their connection in the demonic world from which they had been saved and delivered, and lose their salvation. If a person is delivered and returns to their demonisation (sins, vomit), then it is likely that the demon they lost will return with seven others and their bondage will be seven times stronger than before, and that much more difficult to overcome. I've experienced this in a small way but nevertheless real way, and am terrified to return to the behaviour I was delivered from. It involved a spider that had to be offered to Jesus at the Cross. I returned to that habit from which Iwas then delivered, and next time clearly experienced 7 deliverances from spider power. Now I dare not re-engage that behaviour and avoid it like crazy, as a redeemed alcoholic avoids alcohol.

Our salvation is so precious, including salvation from bad habits. Thank you Jesus

[Jezemeg]

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

The city of Corinth was one of multiple gods and idols as well as the newly emerging Christians. Even the leaders of the Christian Church were in danger of trying to meld their past practices into this new faith, and by so doing, influencing less mature believers into thinking that this was in agreement with God. Paul was zealous in protecting the Christian faith from being corrupted by the worship of other gods. He exposed the sinful practices that some of the leaders of the Church in Corinth were still condoning if not actually practicing, including homosexuality, child sacrifice and the like. He exhorted the believers in Corinth to expel those in the Church who were sinning, telling them not to concern themselves with what was happening outside the Church, God would judge those, that it was important that the Church be cleansed of sinful leadership and believers, that to continue to tolerate their sin would contaminate the Christian faith.

I believe it once again comes back to the fact that we are free to eat food sacrificed to idols, BUT if in our doing so we are weakening the faith of another believer, then we must do everything in our power to strengthen their faith.

All believers, but particularly those new to the faith, must remain very clear that the cup of the Lord is not associated with any other ceremony they may have known in the past. Communion in fact strengthens believers, making them more aware that while they live in the world they are not of the world. We have been called into the heavenly realms with Jesus, but to remain there we must abstain from practices that are detestable to God, Our Father.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

As I listen to and read the lesson I felt that Paul was trying to help them realize that they could not be a part of two worlds. They could not share the cup of the LORD and at the same time partake in the cup of demons. A clear choice had to be made as to who they would really serve. This confronted a lot of what was happening in the church at that time as many were still holding on to their sinful ways and practices. I feel Paul was saying you can't continue to be a part of both worlds, for to do so would ultimately bring God's judgment as you can have no other God before Him.

[pickledilly]

When Paul wrote this letter, that Corinthian church was full of problems of all kinds (much like our day!). The entire letter of 1 Cor. is one of correction. Evidently some people were partaking of the Supper of Jesus Christ and also participating in idol sacrifices that established a connecting point with demons. I think there were many people who wanted to be Christians but still hang onto their old idols. ceremonies, agendas, and methods of worship. Maybe Christianity was the fashionable "new" thing to do, or maybe old beliefs were so deeply ingrained that people were trying to blend them into their new faith.

Paul was warning them that this could not be so. You cannot identify yourself with holiness and evil at the same time. You cannot have fellowship with Christ one moment and demons the next. Yahweh will not share the worship and allegiance due to Him with anyone/anything else. And He will never accept some kind of hybrid belief system. These believers were in danger of stirring up God's jealousy and they would not be able to stand against His judgment. Paul was challenging them that they must each make a clear, defined choice for or against Christ.

[prayerboxministry@hotmail.com]

Paul was exhorting them to believe and trust and obey. That was what he was trying to make them understand. The Lord's cup is easy and a blessing, the demons cup is hard and no blessings come with it. We as His children are admonished to be obedient to the one and only true God, and in obedience to Him, we will not try to ride the fence and walk and remember God and what He has done for us and try to please the devil too. It will not work, for we will love the one and hate the other and if we choose to go the way of demons we will fall and never be able to get up again. We MUST choose God and His plan and remember what He has done for us and all those who were behind us and all those who are before us. We have run this race to win and if we fail now and don't be obedient we will surely fall and lose all our rewards.

Rev. Dr. Jo Jordan

[Nancy Decker]

Human nature was then as it is today.....tempted to serve the idols of SELF instead of the One True Living God. The danger is that we cannot deny our Lord and continue in sins of idolatry towards Satan, even though we may think we can do so. Faithlessness does not honor or bless God, and He wants us to LoVE HIm with ALL OUR HEART AND MIND AND SOUL...which is not possible if you are living with one foot on both sides of the fence. He has promised to finish the good work He has begun in us, but we are not to tempt the Lord our God with willful sinning....we will reap what we sow.

We as the Body of Christ, share in His sufferings as well as His Glory, and this means we all are subject to the same Law of Love, which draws us to His side of the fence, in spite of the circumstances of our lives, or in spite of our sufferings as well. All of us are under the same Law and the same need for obedience to God's words. We are all responsible to seek His face, His guidance and his will in all we choose in our lives.

Holy Communion is a commitment towards seeking His Will that we might honor and glorify Him and Obey Him. It is not simple always, but if we are sincerely seeking....He will help us and guide us...

[RonS]

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

The danger to believers is if we are luke warm we are in danger of being spit out as is staated in Revelation. Worldlyness is a cup of demons. Are our things more important then Christ? Have you told Christ that it is all his and he can do with it what he would like?

[linda sue]

Pastor Ralph, on Apr 24 2006, 06:24 PM, said:

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

Satan is behind all pagan worship, which explains why Paul called it the cup of demons. When the pagans worshiped they would eat and drink to their gods. The Corinthian Church had alot of pagan converts. Some of the church members were probably taking part in The Lord's Supper while also eating and drinking with the pagans that they knew (ie family and friends), during thier pagan worship. Without instrustion, the Corinthians may not have seen any harm in what they were doing. The danger to them ways that over time they could have been pulled back into their former way of life. It is very easy for Satan to temp new Christians. He likes to use things that are familar to them, like friends and family. I would like to say that a true christian cannot fall into temptation like this, but that is not the case. What is true is that when it does happen, a true Christian will not stay there.

[masika]

Paul was reminding the corinthians church that as followers of Christ we must give our Lord Christ Total allegliance. we can not have a part in " the cup of the Lord and .......the cup of demons ." Eating at the Lord 's table means communing with Christ and identifying with His death .Dring from the cup of demons means identifying with satan by worshiping or promoting pagan (or evil) activities .
The Bibles says very clearly that you can not serve two masters , you will hate one.

[JustJeff]

The church at Corinth was vulnerable to demonic activity as babies in Christ. They had become born again and yet were in the center of a pagan society replete with all of it's offerings. Add to that that Corinth was a crossover between two bodies of water and a major trade route, the new converts were exposed to all manner of filth.
Young converts are susceptible to old desires. The Corinthians were still adapting to a new life in Christ yet had not learned to deal with some of their old sins in paricular, fornication.
Paul knew the weakness of the flesh and how, if unchallenged, it's desires would quickly polute not only those directly involved, but the entire church as well. He was well aware that the Corinthians could return to their evil ways.

[haar]

Paul had to remind the Corinthians that there was the cup of the Lord and the cup of demonds. The Holy Communion enabled them to participate or share in the death of Christ and be united with Him. While on the other hand by participtaing in any idol sacrifice, they shared and were joined with the demon. The Corinthians were thus warned that they could not participate in both or they would make theLord unhappy.

His warning came at the time the Chorinthian Christians were indulging in idolatry, offering sacrifices to diffrent gods of Greek and others.

They risked punishment from the Lord, a Jealous God who had clearly commanded His children not to engage themselves in idolatry.

[Shari]

I believe that when Paul talks about sharing the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons he refers to two-timing God. It reminds me today of people who come to Sunday worship in a Christian church, then go consult their psychic or read the horoscope or use crystals etc. It also makes me think of a trend to have people from various faiths pray together. As my pastor says, why on earth would God answer a prayer like that - who would they say "did" the work? Allah or Buddha or your inner light (new age) or God? Look at the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal - in I Kings 18. We need to know who we serve - and it can't be two "gods". When we participate in Communion and also share meals offered to idols, we have mix allegiance and God is a jealous God (Exodus 20). In the Old Testament God called such two-timing prostitution...Israel prostituted itself with false gods. The question for me today is, "Which cups of demons am I drinking from (which idols do I participate with) knowingly or unknowingly?" I recently attended a workshop on "Idols of the Heart" and my friend didn't think she had any - until she heard the lady speak. Idols are not just statues - they are ANYTHING that slips into first place ahead of God in my life - and it's really a heart issue.

[Stan]

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?


That they as believers and followers of Christ could not join in with the idol wprshipers. They live in a time and place that believed in worshiping all forms of gods.Paul had already tought them about Christ and His love for them and Paul did not want them returning to their former lives.

[charisbarak]

I think Paul was exhorting the believers to be careful of what practices/sacrifices they were involved in. He wanted them to know they would be closely identified with the gods/God whom they made sacrifices to. And because God is a jealous God, He commands we be identified (worship) only with Him. He would not share the glory with another object/person. They were mixing their old practices (worldly) with the holy. Evidently the Corinthians did not have a pure church.

I have to seriously ask myself..what practices/things are taking up my time--am I "worshipping" besides God? Do those things bring glory to God?

[Blessed Me]

1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons?

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. A serious warning, to flee. The church cannot worship God and Satan both. The covenant we have with Christ is not one sided, when we excepted Christ as our Saviour, we drank of the cup of the marriage proposal, we are now to make ourselves ready for His coming again. We must be faithful to Him. We are to love God with our whole being. Flee from anything that would take you from your first love. Demons are very real!

What was going on in the church?

Many were not fleeing from the danger before them, it reminds me of the word I see in many of our churches today, tolerance, they were tolerating false beliefs in the church.

What was the danger to the believers?

Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he? God's anger to those who are covenant breakers. God is a jealous God. God looks at the covenant breaker as an adulteress. It is very serious and God will not tolerate it. Just look in Deuteronomy and see how God delt with adultery from Israel. God is the same God of yesterday. He has made it very clear to His people what kind of people we are to be. He has made it clear, He wants a faithful bride

[steve.c]

Pastor Ralph, on Apr 24 2006, 12:24 PM, said:

Q1. Why was Paul exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons? What was going on in the church? What was the danger to the believers?

The dangers to the Christians in Corinth are the same dangers as assail us: it was in large measure an idolatrous, materialistic, pleasure seeking place looking for instant gratification, just like today. Paul could sense the lure and temptations of the kingdom of the world on the Church, tempting its members out of the kingdom of God. We cannot live in both of these worlds, even if the Devil tries to encourage us that this notion is possible. If we want to share in Jesus' body and blood, in His redeeming sacrifice and the salvation that comes from it, we must turn thoroughly way from drinking the cup of demons. The Lord's Supper renews that commitment each time we participate in it.

[ilenel]

To be a participant in something, for example, football. A person would be a member of the team and would actively practice and play with the team. If we participated with demons, then that would mean that we were on their team. Since we cannot serve two masters, or play for two teams, because only one would get our best or both would suffer with half-hearted committment to the team. God is a jealous god, and will not tolerate our being half-hearted, luke-warm, in Revelation, He says He will spit them out.
The church was still used to a polytheistic society, new believers from the cults tried to bring their favorite rites to the church. But these rites identified them as belonging to the cult, not as a Jesus follower. Paul wanted the new believers to be easily identified as belonging to Jesus. This helps new believers to leave the old life behind.

[s8nfighter]

Paul's reminder to the church of Corinth is that we are all of one body. Much like Christ's only two commandments to us. The church of Corinth must have been adding to the gospel to benefit themselves and to exploit others. "8 You think you already have everything you need! You are already rich! Without us you have become kings! I wish you really were on your thrones already, for then we would be reigning with you! "
This is unlike the calling of Paul "9 But sometimes I think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world – to people and angels alike. 10 Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so wise! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are well thought of, but we are laughed at. 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our own. 12 We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13 We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash – right up to the present moment." (niv)
To partake in the cup of thanksgiving is to be truly grateful for the blood Christ shed to cover our sins. Grateful and not to be taken lightly. Not to be stored on some dark shelf in the closet like other gifts and taken out only to show off when company comes. More so to partake in the body of Chris and to do as He commanded. Throughout the bilbe, old and new testament the LORD cautions us that to obey is better than sacrifice. I like the way Paul finishes chapter 10 33 That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them so they may be saved.

[Lion of Grace]

Paul was warning the church to remain in Christ alone.
There were others that were trying to bring other beliefs and "secret" religions into the church. There were those still sacrificing to other gods and were living in immoral ways. This was confusing to new Christians and Paul was saying that they couldn't "mix" things in with what they now knew as the truth. He told them it was life in Christ...or no life at all. We embrace Christ and saturate ourselves with everything of Him and what He teaches and imitate what He did and we need to remain pure in that. We need to take every highway available to stay connected in reminding us and in expanding our learning from Him through the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Our focus has to stay on Him. If we lose that, then we start to add a little here and a little there and soon we have only " created" our own religions...but are calling it Christianity. We've spoiled what was pure to begin with.